I Promise
by choirnerd98
Summary: Newsies Pape Selling Competition. Circulation 4. Specs story before the Newsies.


Hello! This is for the Newsies Pape Selling Competition circulation 4. I don't own Newsies; if I did, Newsies Carpool Karaoke. I guess this would actually be like a James Gordon Levitt thing but you know…a boy can dream.

* * *

Task: Write about a newsboy's life before they were a newsie and the job they held then.

Word Count without author's notes: 1,581

* * *

Dr. Healy grabbed his coffee off the counter and started on his walk to work. As the morning air surrounded him, he shivered and pulled his coat tighter. It was one of the coldest winters on record. The streets were almost empty; most people were staying warm and dry, out of the snow. When he got to his office, Dr. Healy pushed through the back door and flipped the lights on. He walked to the opposite side of the building and unlocked the front door. He pulled it open and jumped back as a kid fell through. Dr. Healy gently shook the boy's shoulder to wake him up.

"Hey, buddy. Are you okay?"

The young boy opened his eyes and started scooting away from the doctor.

"I'm real sorry, sir. I was just so cold and your door was really warm. Please don't call the cops!"

"Whoa, buddy, calm down. I'm not gonna call the police. What's your name?"

The boy looked at him suspiciously before replying, "Daniel. What's yours?"

"Hi, Daniel, I'm Doctor Healy." Daniel shook his outstretched hand and stood up.

"Thanks for not being mad or nothin'."

"No harm, no foul, but how come you're out on the streets? Do you not have any parents?" Daniel shook his head.

"My Mama died in childbirth and my dad abandoned me a few months ago."

Dr. Healy thought for a second, and then crouched down so that he was eye level with Daniel.

"Daniel, did you know that my usual delivery boy just quit? That means that I need a new delivery boy so that my patients can get their glasses quickly. Do you need a job?"

Daniel smiled and nodded.

"And I need to make sure that my delivery boy is well rested and well fed so that he can deliver my packages as fast as possible, so I guess you'd have to stay with me."

Daniel smiled even wider, showing off his missing teeth.

"I've got a package I need you to deliver."

Daniel followed Dr. Healy into the back room and grabbed the small box he was handed.

"Do you know how the streets work? Will you be able to find the address on this box?"

Daniel nodded again and took off out the back door.

* * *

A few weeks later

* * *

Daniel walked back into the office and sat down on a cabinet in the back room.

"Hey, Daniel, where did you get those glasses?"

"The nice man from my last delivery gave them to me. He said they would help me see better."

"Do you not see well?"

"Not really."

"Well, why didn't you tell me? It's my job to help people see well. Come out here and I'll see about getting you a correct prescription. Then we can go home and have dinner."

* * *

4 Years Later

* * *

Daniel woke up as somebody gently rubbed his back.

"Hey, buddy; it's time to wake up. The sun's almost out and my first appointment is in just a few minutes."

Daniel slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Good morning, Doctor!"

"Good morning, Danny!" Doctor Healy ruffled Daniel's hair and smiled as the young boy yawned. "I need you to run over to Doctor Johns' office and get some paperwork for me."

Daniel nodded, causing his curly hair to bounce. "Should I bring it back here or straight to the office?"

"Go ahead and take it to the office. I'm about to leave."

Daniel quickly got dressed and ran out the door. He weaved through the streets of New York until he got to Doctor Johns' office. He grabbed the papers and ran back to the office. Daniel sat in the back room, reading his book and occasionally leaving to deliver a package. He put his book in his back when Doctor Healy came in and started changing into his street clothes.

"Hey, Danny, let's say you and I go out for lunch today?"

"Sure Doctor!" Daniel reached out and grabbed Doctor Healy's hand as they walked out of the door.

"How are those glasses working out for you?"

Daniel pulled them off his face to look at them. "They still work real swell! Where are we going for lunch?"

"I haven't really decided yet."

Daniel looked up at the doctor in confusion; Doctor Healy always planned everything out. The doctor gave Daniel a reassuring smile, but Daniel could easily tell that something was wrong. The two walked in silence until they turned a corner and came across a pair of performing boys. One of the boys held an old beat up violin and the other boy just stood behind the violin case, which was filled with loose change. Doctor Healy walked up to the boys and had a brief conversation with them before dropping a couple of dollars in the violin case. He stepped back and put his arm around Daniel's shoulders as the empty handed boy started singing.

 _Oh, Danny Boy_

Daniel smiled at the Doctor's nickname for him.

 _The pipes, the pipes are calling_

Doctor Healy pulled Daniel closer as the violin joined the melody.

 _From glen to glen, and down the mountainside._

Daniel looked up and was surprised to see tears running down the Doctor's cheeks

 _The summer's gone and all the flowers are dying. Tis you, tis you must go and I must bide._

Doctor Healy silently placed another dollar in the case and led Daniel over to a nearby bench.

"So, Danny, did you enjoy the song?"

Daniel nodded, "It was very pretty."

"My ma used to sing me that as a lullaby. Did you understand it?"

"Mostly, but some of the words were strange."

"Well the song is about someone having to leave someone they love."

"That's pretty sad Doctor."

Doctor Healy smiled a bitter sweet smile and nodded, "Ya, it really is, but sometimes that's just the way life goes. Danny, I had them play that song because I have to leave..." The Doctor paused and waited for Daniel's reaction.

"Leave where? I don't understand why are you leaving?" Daniel asked, tears already welling up in his eyes.

Doctor Healy pulled Daniel into his arms. "I have to go back to Ireland. I got offered a really spectacular job and I need to be there for my Ma."

Daniel squeezed himself tighter to the doctor as tears streamed down his face. The only person that cared about him was leaving. His guardian for the last four years was taking off.

"Danny, what are you thinking?"

"I just..." Daniel took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes. "I'm happy that you got such a good job, but I'm so, so sad. It feels like my father is abandoning me all over again, but it hurts even more because I love you." Daniel buried his head in the Doctor's chest as sobs shook his body. Doctor Healy slowly rubbed Daniel's back, trying to comfort him.

"When…when are you leaving?" Daniel asked as he leaned back and wiped his eyes.

"In two weeks."

"Wow, that's pretty soon," Daniel commented, his voice started to quiver again. Doctor Healy ran his hands through Daniel's hair and patted his shoulder.

"Hey, Danny, did you know that there's actually more to that song? The boy just didn't know the rest." Daniel shook his head wiped his nose.

"How does it go? Will you sing it for me?" Doctor Healy hesitated but nodded his head and took a deep breath.

 _But come ye back, when summer's in the meadow, or when the valley's hushed and white with snow. Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow. Oh, Danny Boy, oh, Danny Boy, I love you so…_

* * *

"Lightswitch, I need you to go up and talk to him."

Lightswitch groaned, "I don't know anything about him. I don't even know his name. Why's it gotta be me?"

"Because I said so. Kloppman's eye dude used to take care of him, but he had to leave. Some of the other boys are calling him Specs 'cause of his glasses. Now you know him and his name; go talk to him."

"But Tracks, he isn't talking. He's just sitting there."

"You know who else refused to talk when they first got here?"

Lightswitch smiled sheepishly. "Me."

Tracks nodded as Lightswitch got up from his seat. Lightswitch walked up the stairs and sat down next to the young boy.

"Hey buddy, dinner's being served downstairs. Do you wanna go eat?"

Daniel shook his head and curled tighter into his chest.

"Do you wanna tell me what's wrong? I might be able to help you." Lightswitch glanced towards the storm outside the window while he was waiting for an answer. BOOM! Thunder shook the lodging house as the lamps flashed out. Daniel flew into Lightswitch's arms, knocking them both onto the floor. Lightswitch sat, dazed for a few seconds, until Daniel's rapid breathing registered.

"Hey, buddy, hey, hey, hey, it's okay. You're okay!" Lightswitch rubbed small circles on Daniel's back. "Is it the thunder and lightning?" Daniel shook his head and clasped his arms behind Lightswitch's back.

"Okay, is it the dark?" Daniel nodded his head.

"Okay, that's okay," Lightswitch said as he pulled out his lighter and flicked it on. "When I was your age, I was scared of the dark, but you're here now. Now you're part of the newsies, and we're a family, and a family looks out for each other, so now I'll look out for you, and I won't let anything hurt you. I promise."

* * *

Ta-Da I hope that wasn't terrible. I'm gonna be real honest for a few sentences. 1) I started writing this and the doctor was not supposed to be this nice and important, but then Danny Boy made its way into the story and suddenly I was basically writing my middle school choir teacher who is leaving for New York in about a month. 2) I was like I should do the competition because they need more people and I like to write. Then the tasks came out and I realized that I am not good at writing for prompts. This literally took me the entire month to write as opposed to my usual one night one shots, but I also ended up having fun with it so… Anywhoooooo video of the story(because I definitely don't update every week) is Broadway Carpool Karaoke Ft. Hamilton and more. Literally so great. Song is(Okay I lied I have to do two songs this time): Top of the World-Tuck Everlasting OBC and (I feel like I've done this one already but spending time at my homophobic grandparents got me feeling all over again) If Only You Would Listen-School of Rock OBC. Alright sorry for the long outro but it is currently 9:43 AM HAST (Hmmmm guess who's on vacation in Hawaii?) so good night, good morning, and good everything-in-between!


End file.
